FEMA workers scrambling to respond to the devastation caused by Hurricanes Milton and Helene are facing a new, unexpected challenge: threats of violence on social media.
TikTok posts that either call for violence or applaud unconfirmed claims of physical attacks on FEMA workers have received millions of views, according to a report yesterday from the nonprofit Media Matters for America. X was also fertile ground for threats of violence against FEMA, according to another analysis published yesterday by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD).
“This content reaches millions of people and, in some cases, poses a credible threat to public safety,” ISD says.
Misinformation on social media has fueled distrust of FEMA, which officials say could hamper efforts to help people, according to Helene and Milton. “If it creates so much fear that my staff doesn't want to go into the field, we won't be able to help people,” FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said in a call Tuesday with reporters, as reported by Axios. “I worry that they won’t apply for support, which means I won’t be able to get them the things they need to support them.”
“Punishment can mean you die instantly.”
According to Media Matters, a post on TikTok from a person with around 5,700 followers received 204,000 views. It's a video with text that says, “Dear Feds and Fema…if you violate your constitutional oath to protect and support, the charge will be treason.” The punishment may mean that the citizens targeted If you withhold help, you will immediately lose your life.”
FEMA has had to defend itself against false claims that it is confiscating donations to hurricane survivors, turning away volunteers or diverting funds to assist migrants, as well as other misleading rumors about disaster relief that have recently surfaced online. The agency launched a “response to hurricane rumors” website last week.
This post and others mentioned in the Media Matters report appeared to have been removed at the time The edge I was looking for it today. However, users who created these videos have posted other content that still contains similar, thinly veiled threats or misinformation about FEMA's role in hurricane response.
Another video from the same user says: “Fema, Feds and anyone who withholds help from those in need… The US military is aware of what you do and the crimes you commit.” It is a song whose lyrics reads: “Let the bodies fall to the ground.” The video was still online this morning and had more than 1,000 views.
Another video from the same account states, “FEMA is not your friend…When a government tries to exercise its non-existent authority, do what you have to do to survive.” The audio accompanying the text is the ringing of bells , which sound like a “death knell”. The video, published two days ago, had more than 1,500 views.
“We immediately removed all content in the report and are working proactively to keep misinformation off TikTok and connect people with reliable information from FEMA,” TikTok spokeswoman Ariane de Selliers said in an email to The edge.
The edge Additionally, links to this user's deleted video were posted on Elon Musk's Keith Turi, FEMA's deputy director for response and recovery, refuted the claim on ABC on Monday.
Meanwhile, ISD analyzed 33 posts for false information about the hurricane response that “produced credible threats and incitement to violence against the federal government – including calls to send militias to confront FEMA over the perceived denial of aid, or.” “To shoot and/or harm FEMA officers and agency officials.” emergency responders,” the report said.
According to ISD, almost a third of the analyzed posts also contained anti-Semitic hatred. Much of the content is directed at Jaclyn Rothenberg, Director of Public Affairs at FEMA. Posts questioning her “loyalty to the country because of her Jewish heritage” were viewed millions of times. And the same accounts that spread misinformation about Helene were also linked to content that denigrated migrants and denied climate change, ISD says.
X did not immediately respond to a request for comment The edge. The company filed a lawsuit against Media Matters last year for allegedly “threatening X’s relationships with major multinational advertisers and global publishers.”
FEMA has been the subject of right-wing conspiracy theories for years, an issue that is surfacing again as the election approaches. “Just because of the level of outreach and misinformation that we have to address, we are having additional staff and increasing those efforts,” FEMA's Criswell said in a news conference yesterday. “While I believe the level of misinformation is starting to decrease, we need to move on now and stay focused on our mission and that our mission is to help people.”